2 store holdups rattle Nassau County residents

Two armed robbers of small convenience stores in Nassau County in less than a week has the Sheriff's Office looking for two gunmen, one of which fired a shotgun at a clerk.

Customers tell Channel 4 that the convenience store at the Shell gas station on U.S. Highway 17 just off Interstate 95 in Yulee has been held up at least four times. In the latest incident on Nov. 5 a masked, hooded gunman with a short-barreled shotgun took a shot at the clerk as he ran from the store, but missed. Then the robber fled.

"This man here, he is just sweet as he can be, and it's just horrible what people are doing to him," one customer said. "He's a very likable man. He's given people gas before when they've run out of gas, and then, you know, he doesn't deserve anything like this. It's horrible."

Police say the owner ran from the store, the gunman followed him out, fired a round toward him then ran from the scene.

"I think that's bad in this area, especially on a main thoroughfare like this," said resident Willie Webb. "It's hard to believe somebody robbed this little store here."

Six days earlier -- Halloween night -- the clerk at a Kangaroo store on U.S. 1 in Callahan was robbed.

Deputies say the robber his backpack on the counter and told the clerk to put money in the bag, then pulled his shirt up to show her he had a revolver.

The Sheriff's Office says the victim put between $60 and $100 in the bag and the man casually walked out. They believe he left in a silver Kia Optima.

"I just thought this was a nice, quiet town and things like that didn't happen around here," a regular customer at the store said. "I feel sorry for the lady that got robbed. As long as she didn't get hurt, that's all that counts."

The two incidents within the same week both in small stores in small Nassau County towns have people shaken up.

"It's amazing what people will do, especially right here," the customer said. "Around these holidays, it's probably going to get really bad."

Copyright 2012 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.